Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

French, from Italian complimento, from Spanish cumplimiento, from cumplir, to complete, from Latin complēre, to fill up : com-, intensive pref.; see com- + plēre, to fill; see pelə-1 in Indo-European roots.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French, from Italian complimento, from Vulgar Latin complire, from Latin complere

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French, from Italian complimento Spanish cumplimiento, from cumplir, from Vulgar Latin complire, from Latin complere.

Examples

These notest be called “compliments” and any good pirate knows a compliment is all but a flirt wrapped up in a pretty bow.

While a compliment from a stranger every now and then is nice (ok, I'm lying, it's usually creepy ...) having piercings & tattoos in 'modern' society makes a lot of people think they have the right to comment on my appearance.